Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
“I know what knickknacks are, liessa.” He looked up from the building plans. “What I don’t know is why you’re suggesting them.”
“Your shelves are bare.” I pointed at the walls. “My stepfather collected things made of spun glass. Or is it blown glass?” My nose scrunched. “Maybe they’re the same thing.”
“I don’t believe so.” Ash paused, looking to the side at the walls. “I never really thought about the shelves.”
“I can tell,” I replied dryly, taking a drink of the now-fruit-flavored water. “We’ll have to get you some knickknacks.”
“I’ll add that to the list of things we must accomplish.”
I looked at him with a frown. “We have a list?”
“We do.” Rising, he set aside the building plans and returned the Book of the Dead to its drawer. “Speak with Attes. Summon the Primals. Plant more crops. Deal with Kolis. Spit on his close-to-dead-as-possible body.” He ticked each item off as he walked around the desk, my brow rising with each item. “Rule the realms.”
“That’s an…impressive list,” I slowly stated.
“I wasn’t done.”
“Oh.”
“We also have to decide where we wish to live—here or in Dalos,” he continued. I blinked, not having even considered a relocation. “Indulge in radek wine—”
“The kind that makes…”
“One incredibly aroused for extended periods of time?” A wolfish grin appeared. “Yes.”
“Oh,” I repeated. “I think I would like that.”
Icy heat swirled in his eyes as he sat beside me on the light gray settee. “You will love it, liessa.”
My gaze swept over his powerful body. I would be obsessed with that.
He glanced at the table that had been brought in for our breakfast. The heat faded from his stare. “Fates,” he muttered, dragging a hand over his jaw.
“What?”
“What you’re drinking,” he said. “Or what you’ve made yourself. I completely forgot about this until now, but…”
“Your father used to do this,” I finished for him.
His head cut to me. “How did you—?” He let out a soft laugh. “Foresight?”
It wasn’t the vadentia but Kolis who had told me, but I smiled and nodded as I quickly looked away. I could feel his stare on me.
“It wasn’t the vadentia, was it? It was Kolis.” A moment passed. “Why wouldn’t you just tell me that?”
I blew out a breath as I lifted a shoulder. “I just don’t think it matters, and I don’t want him to be associated with you remembering something about your father.”
“It’s kind of hard for him not to be associated with thoughts of my father, liessa.” He reached over and tucked a curl back from my face. “But I do appreciate the consideration.”
I relaxed. “It’s pretty tasty. You should try it.”
“I will.” His attention shifted back to the table. “Are you finished eating?”
“Yep.”
His brows furrowed. “You barely ate.”
“Not true.” I took another drink.
“You only ate half the eggs. Maybe a bite of the muffin.” He picked up the napkin I’d tossed over a side dish, revealing the strips of fried meat. “And you didn’t even touch the bacon.”
I lifted a shoulder. “I guess I’m not that hungry.”
“That’s odd.” Ash’s frown deepened.
“What? Not being hungry?”
“Yeah.” He leaned back and looked at me. “After an Ascension, one is typically hungrier than normal because the body is still going through changes. A lot of energy is expended.”
“Oh,” I said, cradling the glass to my chest. “Maybe I’m different because I was mortal.”
“Maybe.” His gaze tracked over my features. “When Kolis had you, was food restricted?”
I jerked, caught off guard by his question. “No. Food was provided. A lot of it.” My hold on the glass tightened. “You think me not being hungry has to do with my time in Dalos?”
“Kolis has been known to use food as a form of reward and punishment,” he said, and my stomach dropped. “I didn’t know if that was the case with you.”
“No. It wasn’t.” My gaze shifted to the plates. “I was…treated more like a guest than a prisoner.”
Cold air blasted off Ash. “A guest kept in a cage?”
“A reluctant guest,” I amended, feeling my chest knot. “But you don’t have to worry about that. Kolis didn’t do anything like that.” A moment passed, then another. No longer thirsty, I placed the glass on the table. “Did he use food in that way with you?”
“He did.”
I briefly closed my eyes as fury rose, stoking the embers. I had to take a deep breath. “I hate him,” I said, folding my hand over his. “I really—wait.” I looked down at our joined hands, realizing just then that his skin didn’t feel as cold as it had the night before. Or this morning, when we woke, even. “Your skin is a little warmer.”
He reached over and picked up the glass with his other hand. “Feels the same to me,” he said, taking a sip. “It does taste good.” He tipped the glass back, eyeing the contents. “Probably could get by with one or three less strawberries.”